Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1887-09-22
AND WHY NOT ALWAYS?
A Suggestive Question of Concern
to Many People.


Among the passengers with the
writer on an ocean steamer were q
lady and gentleman, both neatly and
carefully dressed, who were much to-
gether, and who generally entered the
saloon the lady leaning on the gentle
mans arm. 81 suspect that's re-
cent case" said gentleman to his
wife. "Whyp" said the lady, meaning,
probably, to point moral. "Oh, he's
so attentive to her, and she sticks so
close to him." "Yes, and why not al
waysp"
The question is suggestive as to the
fixed relationships of life. A man and
woman take one another 'for better,
for worse" in Gods name, and vow
perpetual care for each other as for no
one else. And during the honeymoon,
and, perhaps, for moon or two more,
the devotion is conscientious and con-
stant. The bridegroom hastens home
rs soon as duties will allow. He is no.
where so happy as with his wife. The
wife is ready for his coming, neat in
attire, pleasant in manner, reproduc-
ing the smiles and the endearments of
the happy engagement meetings
There is sunshine in the home, be it
ever so humble. And why not so al
waysp
For, somehow, it is not in too many
cases. The man, we fear, it must be
admitted, is, as rule, the first to
modify his bearing. He is SETTLING
down." He has outside duties and
cares The little attentions-they
were all well enough for the love-
making and the honeymoon, but now
he has serious business ON hand. Was
not the getting of partner for life a
serious businessp These little bits of
demonstrative feelings are natural to
woman; but he is man. Yet, were
there not times when he protested in
the strongest English he could COM
mand that these very little demonstra-
tions were the joy and gladness of his
life-that he thought of them by day
and dreamed of them at nightP Why
not always SOP But he gets absorbed
in other things. If his place is among
the well-to-do, he has his club, and
now and then there is race of yachts,
or of horses, or an exhibition, and he
is off to it, business Notwithstanding.
Or, if he is among working people,
there is a regular society, or an ex-
temporized company at the corner, .and
he goes to it, leaving the wife to enter
tain herself as she best can. She is
only woman. She lives good deal
in her affections. She remembers the
protestations of the lover. She con-
trasts them with the practice of the
husband. She remembers what he
promised, and for little while per-
formed, and she would not be human
if the question did not come to her
lips: And why not alwaysp
But sometimes the attack of chills is
on the other side The wife has, she
thinks, emerged from the poetry of
courtship, and passed into the prose OF
actual life. Don't make a fool of
yourselfp' is, perhaps, the response to
her husband when he reproduces bit
of the old endearment He is set to
wondering in his mind: "Why did she
marry mep Was it because she desired
an establishment, wanted home, was
tired of the place of an old maid or
wished to pique somebody elseP" As
human nature is, the raising and set
tling these questions in the mind is
bad for it. Inevitable little worries
and Emergencies of views will come,
trying the patience, and the chances
are, when she is less compliant than
he wished or expected, that he will say
to himself: ut is just as | thought. 1t
was place, and not me, she wanted;
and now that she has got it, I'm of lit
tie account" That reflection does not
sweeten the atmosphere of home.
Ladies, you remember how you began,
how nice and afectionate you were.
Why not alwaysp
For let us proceed to serious side
of the case. We go back to the man
who prophesied to the object of his
love future earthly Eden, in which
he, Adam, should be just as devoted as
she, Eve. was beautiful. But now
Adam is abroad with the beasts Of the
field, or the beasts of "the set " he
goes with, and Eve is left good deal
to herself, and when Adam is at home
he is so absorbed, cold and common
place that he does not appear the
same man. Poor Eve! her heart is
hungry. being woman. for some
notice, sympathy and recognition,
She goes out of the Eden when oppor-
tunity offers. One can not become q
hermit And she is still the beautiful
Eve. Others recognize that fact if her
husband has forgotten it. She likes
the pleasure. 1t is like old times again
She can get outside what she does moi
get at home. And there is one among